140 Remarks on Vormie Acid. 
although prohibited by statutory enactments, he is able to practice : 
in utter disregard of law or authority. By this method, the net is 
so constructed as to enlarge or to mesh, as it is technically said, and 
not to enclose the shad, as is the case with the regular shore nets, 
already described. The seine used by these freebooters is formed 
with meshes so large that the fish are permitted to pass their heads — 
through, and on attempting to retreat they become entangled by the 
gills. The twine too of which the nets are made, is so fine that it 
is not perceived by the fish, until his head is in the toil and it is too 
late to escape. ‘These nets are kept extended by means of a small 
boat at each end, across the main channels, and thus extended they 
are permitted to drift for miles, until they have become loaded, when 
they are taken into the boats, the fish secured, and they are again 
stretched off in the river as before. ‘These contrivances are hence 
denominated drift nets, or gilling seines, and although prohibited by 
law, yet so lame are its provisions, that it is faptally. impossible to 
enforce it, except in cases where the name of the offender can be 
ascertained. ‘These marauders, therefore, emboldened by the im- 
punity with which they are enabled to carry on their predatory ope- 
rations, have increased to such an extent as already greatly to depre- 
ciate the shore fisheries, and if not checked, they must, ere long, 
render them worthless. 
Art. XUHI.—Formic Acid—remarks upon its utility, together with 
a correction of Dobereiner’s Process and views respecting the 
theory of its formation; by Prof. J. P. Emmet, of the Univer- 
sity of Virginia. 
Every day brings evidence of the success which Chemistry be- 
stows upon its votaries, in closely imitating some of the numerous 
productions which are generally regarded as being strictly limited to 
the influence of a vital power. Examples are already too numerous 
to make it requisite that the opinion should be sustained by their aid 
upon the present occasion ; I shall therefore confine myself to the 
very striking instance fordiahed by the subject of this communication. 
The formic acid, as the name implies, was at first detected im ants- 
It exists asa peculiar secretion which they emit when provoked, 
and, at one time, the only mode of procuring it consisted in mace- 
rating or bruising these insects in water and afterwards submitting 
the mixture either to simple pressure, or to distillation. 
